Netizens in India on Tuesday hailed Prime Minister Narendra Modis 21-day challenge to fight novel coronavirus, saying if millions can participate in virtual online challenges that gives nothing in return, this is the biggest opportunity for the country to come out a winner against the deadly COVID-19 disease that has devastated the world.
Modi announced nationwide three weeks lockdown starting from Tuesday midnight. All states and union territories will come under its purview. @iamvsj
"Folks, Let us take part in this 21 Days Challenge. The habit, for example, Yoga Practice, Reading, Writing Blogs, Cooking, and/or any creative ones. Are you ready?" tweeted one user.
Another commented: "Don't panic on essential items. They obviously will be exempted in the #CoronavirusLockdown. And India has more than enough supplies of all essentials. Relax & tell friends to relax about it".
PM Modi warned that if we don't follow a complete lockdown for the coming 21 days, the nation will go back 21 years and many families will be devastated.
He also said many powerful countries in the world have become helpless, regardless of their efforts, reiterating that social distancing is the only way to deal with this deadly coronavirus that has infected more than 500 in India to date.
"PM has ordered a national #CoronavirusLockdown for 21 days. Let's be responsible for safety of our nation and family," said one social media user.
"A single biggest lockdown in the history for any country. It's a very bold step. And it's need of the hour," added another.
Modi later tweeted: "Essential commodities, medicines etc. would be available. Centre and various state governments will work in close coordination to ensure this. Together, we will fight COVID-19 and create a healthier India".
Even American social media users hailed Modi for the move, asking US President Donald Trump to do the same.
"Narendra Modi just shut down INDIA. 1.3 billion people. For 21 days. All the science says that's what you are supposed to do. And the US of course won't do it,' tweeted a user.
"India is going on a 21 day complete lockdown. Maybe Trump can now take advice from his fellow strongman and best friend Modi on this and do the same thing here. Praying for my family there," said another.

Amid the total lockdown in many states and increase in novel coronavirus positive cases in India, Prime Minister Narendra Modi said that he will address the nation again at 8 pm on Tuesday.
"Will address the nation at 8pm today on the vital aspects relating to the menace of COVID-19," Modi said in a tweet.
On Tuesday, India's total coronavirus positive cases rose to 446, with nine deaths across the country, 36 cases of cured patients.
The Prime Minister had addressed the nation on Thursday night as well and appealed for Janata Curfew between 7 am and 9 pm on Sunday.
Modi had also talked about the steps taken by the government to combat Covid-19

Thiruvananthapuram, March 23 (IANS) Kerala will also come under a lockdown as the state recorded 28 new cases - the largest number in a day so far - taking its total number of positive cases to 91, Chief Minister Pinarayi Vijayan said on Monday, and warned of punitive action for violation of isolation norms.
"No public transport will operate, state borders will be closed, but private vehicles will be allowed. Petrol pumps will be open. State government offices will be opened with full protection. All religious functions has to be cancelled. Shops selling essential things will be allowed, no serving in restaurants, but home delivery would take place. People should not loiter in the streets, and if found, would face arrests and fines," he said.
Shops selling essential items will be open from 7 a.m. to 5 p.m., while at Kasargode, which is badly-hit, the time would be from 11 p.m. to 5 pm.
"All those coming from other states will have to be in isolation for 14 days," added Vijayan.
Of the new cases, he said that 19 were in Kasargode, five in Kannur, two in Ernakulam and one each in Pathanamthitta and Thrissur districts. "As many as 25 of them came from Dubai," said Vijayan.
The Chief Minister also said that there are 64,320 people under observation in homes and 383 in various hospitals in the state.
Noting that there is a large number of migrant labourers in the state, he said that all will be moved to camps where food will be given to them and they will also be under observation.
Vijayan also warned of fines and arrests for any violation of rules by anyone placed in isolation.
"There would be no leniency in that, as if this is not done, things can go out of hand. We do not wish to face a community spread. These are testing times for all of us and we all should see this as for our own good and should help the efforts of the state government to see that this is eradicated from our state," he said.
"All those who now arrive from within the state have to be under self-isolation for 14 days. All those in isolation will be now tracked using their mobiles and neighbours also should now report to officials if anyone who is under observation moves around," said Vijayan.
Meanwhile, the state Public Service Commission have cancelled all their examinations till April 30 and havealso decided to speed up the recruitment of people to the Health Service Department.

New Delhi:
In wake of the infamous coronavirus virus that is slowly reaching all parts of the world including india, Prime Minister Narendra Modi urged people not to panic and "work together" on a day six new suspected coronavirus cases were reported from Uttar Pradesh's Agra.
"There is no need to panic. We need to work together, take small yet important measures to ensure self-protection," Modi tweeted.
On Tuesday, six fresh cases of suspected Coronavirus with high viral load was detected in Agra besides one in Lucknow. Apart from Uttar Pradesh, there is at least one case in Delhi, one in Telangana and one in Jaipur, where a traveller from Italy showed signs.
He also tweeted a poster highlighting basic hygiene like washing hands frequently and avoiding touching eyes, nose and mouth to prevent the spread of the virus.
He also had an "extensive review" regarding the preparedness on the COVID-19. "Different ministries and states are working together, from screening people arriving in India to providing prompt medical attention," tweeted Modi.
Earlier in the day, health concern was discussed between Modi and Delhi CM Arvind Kejriwal during a meeting in Parliament.
The Agra cases were detected during sample testing. Contact tracing of the persons who have come in contact with these six persons is also simultaneously being done through the Integrated Disease Surveillance Program (IDSP) network, informed the government.
The Ministry in a statement said: "One positive case of COVID-19 has been detected in New Delhi, and one has been detected in Telangana."

New Delhi: The Supreme Court on Monday rejected a PIL by former Bombay High Court judge Michael Saldanha, seeking directions for donation of organs by four convicts in the 2012 Nirbhaya gang-rape and murder case. "death is the saddest part and the organ donation has to be voluntary." SC said.
A bench headed by Justice R. Banumathi rejecting the petition asked the petitioner to "have human approach". Saldana in the petition contended that the apex court may pass directions to the Tihar jail authorities, where four death row convicts are currently lodged and to give them an option to offer their bodies for medical research and also donate their organs in an effort to save lives. The petitioner also urged the SC to consider the desirability of making it as a condition in cases where convicts are on death row. All four death row convicts have exhausted all the legal remedies available for death row convicts.
Earlier today, the top court rejected a curative petition by Pawan Gupta, one of the four convicts, a day before the four convicts are scheduled to be executed. Gupta, 25, was the lone convict in the case who had not exhausted his legal options of a curative petition.
A fresh date of execution of death warrant was issued by the trial court on February 17. The trial court fixed the execution on March 3 at 6 am for the four convicts -- Mukesh Kumar Singh (32), Pawan (25), Vinay Kumar Sharma (26) and Akshay Singh (31) -- in the Nirbhaya gang rape and murder case. The President has rejected the mercy petitions of three convicts -- Mukesh, Vinay and Akshay. Gupta has also filed a mercy plea before the President.
A death warrant was issued against Kumar along with three other condemned prisoners for the execution of death sentence on March 3. Advocate A.P. Singh, representing Kumar, said he was a juvenile during the time of the commission of the offence, and the death penalty should not awarded to him.
Singh also sought a stay on the execution of the black warrant on the hanging issued by the trial court.
He is the only convict who is yet to exhaust all legal remedies -- the curative petition, which is the final legal remedy available, and the filing the mercy petition before the President.
"Our main contention is that at the time of the commission of the offence, Pawan was attending a musical programme", said Singh who spoke about how there have been many errors in the previous judgements and he expected through this curative petition those errors are amended.
The top court had earlier dismissed separate pleas filed by Mukesh and Vinay challenging the decision of the President to reject their mercy petitions. Akshay is yet to challenge the rejection of his mercy petition.
Source: IANS

New Delhi: The Education Directorate on Saturday announced the schools in northeast Delhi will remain closed until March 7. It comes in the wake of earlier this week's large-scale violence in northeast Delhi. More than 40 people in the clashes and arson were killed. Amid the outbreak of violence on Monday, the authorities ordered the closure of all schools in northeast Delhi on Tuesday. The Delhi government has demanded the suspension of the board examinations in the schools in these areas. In addition to the 10th and 12th board exams, the school examinations up to class 11 were also postponed.On Friday, the Delhi High Court asked the city police to ensure that the board examination centres in the violence-hit northeast area of the national capital are given proper security.

The Maharashtra government on Saturday appointed Param Bir Singh, a 1988-batch IPS officer as Mumbai’s new Commissioner of Police.
The Home department issued an order on Saturday naming Singh as the city’s new police chief whose last posting was as Director-General of the Anti Corruption Bureau (ACB) and will take over from Sanjay Barve later Saturday.
Singh said that the Mumbai Police and crime branch can tackle any challenge on the law and order front. The new police commissioner said that police will crack the whip on criminals who are trying to extort money in the name of gangsters.
When asked about the protests against the new citizenship law, Singh said, "Holding protest is a democratic right, but it should be observed to be conducted peacefully without obstructing any law. We appeal the protesters to conduct peaceful protests.
Sign also remarked how Mumbai is one of the world’s safest cities in terms of street crimes and incidents like chain snatching, robberies would be curbed.